In 8th reshuffle, J Jayalalithaa drops 3 ministers, inducts new faces

CHENNAI: In a sudden move, Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday sacked three of her ministers and inducted an equal number into the state cabinet. School education minister N R Sivapathi, health minister Dr V S Vijay and tourism minister S Gokula Indira were dropped from the 32-member state cabinet, reportedly for their "poor performance". This is the eighth cabinet reshuffle after the AIADMK government assumed charge in May 2011 following a massive victory in the assembly polls.

Sivapathi was dropped from the cabinet for the second time. Earlier, in November 2011, just six months after the AIADMK stormed back to power, he was stripped of his animal husbandry portfolio and later re-inducted into the cabinet as school education minister. In a further blow, Jayalalithaa removed all the three sacked ministers from their party posts as well.

While Vijay was removed from the post of AIADMK's Vellore district secretary, Gokula Indira was relieved as the party's women's wing secretary and Sivapathi lost the post of Trichy rural district unit secretary. On the chief minister's recommendation, governor K Rosaiah approved the induction of Aruppukottai MLA Dr Vaigaichelvan, who is also the chief government whip; Manachanalur MLA T B Poonachi and Jolarpet MLA K C Veeramani into the cabinet.

The portfolios of school education, archaeology, sports and youth welfare, and Tamil language and culture, held by Sivapathy, have been given to Vaigaichelvan. Municipal and rural development minister K P Munusamy will hold additional charge of law, courts and prisons, personnel and administrative reforms and prevention of corruption. Veeramani has been given health, medical education and family welfare departments held by Vijay.

Poonachi will hold khadi and village industries portfolio, which was held by Senthur Pandian. Pandian is the new tourism minister, replacing Gokula Indira.

Party sources attributed underperformance as the reason for dropping the three ministers. In an earlier reshuffle in June last year, Jayalalithaa dropped two heavyweights, K A Sengottaiyan and C Ve Shanmugam, who were among her staunchest loyalists. Just days before that, she had senior leader D Jayakumar step down from the post of assembly speaker.

At every party meeting, Jayalalithaa has consistently warned her ministers, MLAs and MPs that she would not tolerate any wrongdoing "for the sake of continuing in power". The new ministers will be sworn in on Thursday morning at the Raj Bhavan. S C Ezumali will replace Vijay as Vellore district secretary and R Manoharan will replace Sivapathy as Trichy rural district secretary.